Sign in Subscribe
United Nations

Global Hunger Declines, but Rises in Africa and Western Asia: UN Report

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Global hunger has decreased, with an estimated 673 million people experiencing hunger in 2024, down from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022, according to the United Nations (UN) report, The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025). However, progress was not consistent across the globe, as hunger continued to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia. The report highlights the challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030, with 512 million people projected to be chronically undernourished.

Key Takeaways:

  • In 2024, an estimated 673 million people experienced hunger, down from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022, representing a decrease of 15 million people from 2023 and 22 million from 2022.
  • Hunger continued to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia, with the proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa surpassing 20 percent in 2024, affecting 307 million people.
  • In 2024, the prevalence of undernourishment (PoU) in Asia fell from 7.9 percent in 2022 to 6.7 percent, or 323 million people.
  • The number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024, but the improvement was uneven, with low-income countries experiencing a rise in the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet.
  • The report recommends a combination of policy responses to food price inflation, including targeted and time-bound fiscal measures, credible and transparent monetary policies, and strategic investments in agrifood R&D, transport and production infrastructure, and market information systems.
  • The global prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15 to 49 increased from 27.6 percent in 2012 to 30.7 percent in 2023, while the prevalence of adult obesity rose from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 15.8 percent in 2022.
  • Almost 60 percent of the 512 million people projected to be chronically undernourished by 2030 will be in Africa.

Statistics:

  • 673 million people experienced hunger in 2024, representing a decrease of 15 million people from 2023 and 22 million from 2022.
  • Hunger continued to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia, with 307 million people affected in Africa and 39 million people in western Asia.
  • The number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billion in 2019 to 2.60 billion in 2024.
  • The prevalence of undernourishment (PoU) in Asia fell from 7.9 percent in 2022 to 6.7 percent in 2024, or 323 million people.
  • The global prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15 to 49 increased from 27.6 percent in 2012 to 30.7 percent in 2023.
  • The prevalence of adult obesity rose from 12.1 percent in 2012 to 15.8 percent in 2022.

Sources:

  • The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025)
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
  • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
  • United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
  • UNICEF

Read more